Tensions flared in south Kolkata on Saturday as BJP leaders and supporters took to the streets protesting the alleged rape of a student at a Kasba law college, following revelations that three accused individuals reportedly have links to the ruling Trinamul Congress (TMC).
Led by West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar, party workers gathered at the busy Gariahat crossing in the afternoon to register their protest. However, the situation escalated when police allegedly blocked the procession, leading to scuffles between BJP supporters and police.
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Barricades erected by Kolkata Police were reportedly breached by protestors. Eyewitnesses said heated exchanges ensued between senior BJP leaders, including Majumdar and Jagannath Chattopadhyay, and police officials. Shortly thereafter, Majumdar and several party workers were detained and placed in a police prison van. The protest led to severe traffic congestion in and around Gariahat, with office-goers and schoolchildren caught in the snarls. The intersection, one of the city’s busiest, saw vehicular movement nearly grind to a halt for more than an hour.
Addressing the media from the police van, Majumdar accused the state administration of muzzling dissent. “We didn’t come to vandalise a police station. We were peacefully protesting a horrific crime,” he said, lashing out at chief minister Mamata Banerjee and the police for what he termed “state-sponsored repression.”
The BJP has alleged that the main accused in the Kasba case is a leader of the TMC’s student wing, TMCP, and that the others are also associated with the organisation. These allegations, yet to be officially confirmed, have triggered sharp political exchanges. The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the BJP’s student front, has also demanded action, claiming that the accused are being shielded due to their political connections.
On Friday, both the BJP and Congress had staged separate demonstrations outside Kasba police station, demanding swift justice and transparency in the investigation. Several protestors were briefly detained as police tried to disperse the gatherings. Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari questioned the government’s commitment to women’s safety, saying: “A sister from south Kolkata has faced brutal assault. And where are the police officials? Attending the Rath Yatra celebrations in Digha with the CM.”